Progress and islam, Response to ilaila

Submitted by A.A. (United States), Aug 8, 2005 at 17:46

Muslims brag of the advances in science and mathematics made by muslims. It is true that during Abbasids , from 8th century to 13 th century, muslims were the most advanced people and Baghdad was the seat of learning. If nobel type prizes were given, then muslims would have bagged all of them. However islam had nothing to do with it. Most Abbasids were very open minded kings and practiced"mutazila" in religion, that is "reason above revelation". All the progress in sciences, medicine and mathematics took place during that period.

However most of the famous scientists and philosophers were muslims in name only and were not practicing muslims; some were openly against all religions like Al Razi, Abu Sina, Ibn Rusd, Omar Khayyam and Al Maari . Al Razi was so outspoken against religions that he openly used to call all prophets "billy goats". Similarly Al Maari used to make fun of the scriptures. Abbasid Kings financed their work and protected them .

Only after the islamic fanaticsm started again later, and the abbasids were called apsotates by Taymiyya and Ghazali, the muslim period of enlightenment ended and darkness of islamic fanaticism resumed.

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